Bug 39158 – Web Inspector: use platform-specific key designations in shortcuts help for mac

• Component: Web Inspector (Deprecated)
• Status: RESOLVED FIXED

[Andrey Kosyakov]

Shortcut help screen needs to use platform-specific key symbols on Mac (Esc = ⎋, Tab = ⇥ etc)

[Andrey Kosyakov]

Created attachment 56148 [details]
patch

[Andrey Kosyakov]

Created attachment 56149 [details]
screenshot

[Pavel Feldman]

(In reply to comment #0)
> Shortcut help screen needs to use platform-specific key symbols on Mac (Esc = ⎋, Tab = ⇥ etc)

I actually don't think this is a good idea. I am fine with Arrows, Tab, Backspace and Return, Mac's Control, Cmd, Option and Shift since they match the images on the actual keyboard.

But I am not such a great fan of ⎋ for Esc, PageUp, PageDown and the rest. I'd use a following rule: if an image matches the one on the keyboard - use it. Otherwise we make user wonder what ⎋ stands for. I did not know (or at least that it not on top of my head).

Another thing is that I would also try to render shortcut hints in as platform-agnostic manner as possible. That would ease the migration between platforms.

[Timothy Hatcher]

Those symbols are what shows up in the menu for Esc, PageUp, etc. I think this is a good thing to do.

You can always add tooltips for the human readable meaning.

[Joseph Pecoraro]

Yes, mac users should be familiar with these shortcut
key symbols. Further, these tools are for developers
who are even more likely to understand these symbols.

[Andrey Kosyakov]

(In reply to comment #3)

> But I am not such a great fan of ⎋ for Esc, PageUp, PageDown and the rest. I'd use a following rule: if an image matches the one on the keyboard - use it. 
> Otherwise we make user wonder what ⎋ stands for. I did not know (or at least that it not on top of my head).

I admit this did surprise me too, but it's actually being used (e.g. by Finder), and PageUp, PageDown, Tab & En^H^HReturn actually do appear as these arrows on Apple keyboards. As this appears to be platform convention, I vote for following it rather than trying to stay consistent across the platforms, as even the shortcuts themselves are already diverging.

[Pavel Feldman]

(In reply to comment #5)
> Yes, mac users should be familiar with these shortcut
> key symbols. Further, these tools are for developers
> who are even more likely to understand these symbols.

Please forgive my sarcastic tone below.

So what is wrong with these?
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1343
http://www.apple.com/itunes/how-to/shortcuts.html
http://eg-www.apple.com/support/iphoto/shortcuts/
http://www.apple.com/pro/tips/secretcapture.html
http://trac.webkit.org/wiki/WebInspector#ShortcutKeys

Oh no, in the last one, someone is using "Esc", "Tab" and "Page Up"! Doesn't he know there are images for those?!?

Seriously, I think the purpose of this help screen is to make shortcuts more accessible. Parsing 'Esc' is easier and more accessible than parsing ⎋. That is why all the docs use 'Esc'. We are not a part of a Mac menu, we don't have constraints such as 'fewer symbols, align to the right'. We are a documentation page within the app. I am a happy Mac user for years, a developer. But I had to think a bit in order to parse images for esc and page up.

Sarcasm desert: I might consider agreeing with you in case you point me to a help topic / menu item in the (Snow?) Leopard standard distribution referring to a PageUp using the image you are suggesting :) (And yes, my keyboard does not have it as it has 'esc' for escape).

[Andrey Kosyakov]

(In reply to comment #7)

> I might consider agreeing with you in case you point me to a help topic / menu item in the (Snow?) Leopard standard distribution referring to a PageUp using the image you are suggesting :) (And yes, my keyboard does not have it as it has 'esc' for escape).

System Preferences -> Keyboard & Mouse -> Keyboard Shortcuts -> Add?
(Can't really check PageUp/PageDown now as I don't have an external keyboard, but all the rest are symbolic)

[Timothy Hatcher]

Terminal's View menu.

Escape is in the Apple menu.

[Pavel Feldman]

(In reply to comment #9)
> Terminal's View menu.
> 

Ok, ok (although they have large and shiny 'Page Up' and 'Page Down' to the left, so confusion is unlikely to happen). You did not comment on the numerous shortcut help pages I mentioned, so I assume you still think we are different. Okay, time to give up for me!

[WebKit Commit Bot]

Comment on attachment 56148 [details]
patch

Clearing flags on attachment: 56148

Committed r60584: <http://trac.webkit.org/changeset/60584>

[WebKit Commit Bot]

All reviewed patches have been landed.  Closing bug.